To expand its capabilities and facilities for additive manufacturing of thermoplastic systems, Sika has strengthened its partnership with Yizumi Germany, a machine manufacturer that covers all areas of high-pressure prototyping and additive manufacturing.
Additive manufacturing (AM) involves creating three-dimensional objects by depositing material layer by layer. For thermoplastics, additive manufacturing refers to the application of this process to materials that can be melted and then solidified to produce a finished product. Thermoplastic compounds are materials that can be melted and formed and recycled multiple times without losing their basic chemical properties. Additive manufacturing with thermoplastics involves melting the material with a 3D printer and extruding it layer by layer to create the desired shape.
Bundling of Know-how: Sika and Yizumi Germany
To expand its capabilities and facilities for additive manufacturing of thermoplastic systems, Sika has strengthened its partnership with Yizumi Germany, a machine manufacturer that covers all areas of high-pressure prototyping and additive manufacturing. The first Yizumi solution is already in operation in Sarnen, Switzerland. The so-called "SpaceA" technology is based on the layer-by layer deposition of a molten thermoplastic. By solidifying this molten strand, a solid component can be built. The type of additive manufacturing technology used here is melt deposition modelling (MDM). MDM allows the construction of three-dimensional objects, prototypes and products through a computer-aided or controlled manufacturing process. It is used in AM or in the construction of solid models and prototypes in a layer-by-layer or additive approach. It also focuses on flexible extruder technology to reduce machine costs. Additive manufacturing with thermoplastics has many advantages, including the ability to create complex geometries that would be difficult or impossible to achieve with traditional manufacturing methods. It also enables rapid prototyping and production, making it the ideal choice for low-volume or custom product manufacturing.
Synergies in the partnership with Yizumi Germany include both technical expertise in AM technologies and thermoplastics, as well as access to a large customer base. For the Yizumi team, Sika's thermoplastic compounds support their customer-focused product offering and enable product bundling (technology + thermoplastic granulate). And Sika can produce and manage 3D projects at both prototype and industrial scale.
"Our partnership takes the delivery of high-performance materials for additive manufacturing, such as thermoplastic compounds, to a new level, enabling both efficiency gains and predictive manufacturing process quality." Roy Z'Rotz, Project Leader Thermoplastic Systems, Sika
Expanding capacities, combining expertise and increasing market presence
Sika is in the process of installing more Yizumi solutions in Duedingen to expand its capacity. The new solutions use screw extrusion technology and rely directly on fiber-filled thermoplastic compounds. The flexible use of the pressure module in different environments is a clear advantage.Thanks to Sika's 60 years of experience with thermoplastic membranes, the teams have gained a lot of experience in developing products for a service life that goes beyond what is expected. Working with Sika thermoplastic materials means focusing on sustainable, long-lasting solutions and therefore higher-yielding material choices. The collaboration between Sika and Yizumi allows Sika to both expand its knowledge and capabilities in AM and gain even more experience with advanced technologies in manufacturing processes that can be scalable combined with prototyping methods.